Celebratory mood remains unabated at MIT's 2013 Graduation despite the rainfall
At MIT's Commencement ceremony this year, Drew Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, shared his journey of starting and growing the now $4 billion company. Houston, a 2003 MIT graduate, compared the exhilaration of working on a passionate project to a tennis ball a dog can't resist chasing.
Houston's story began when he often forgot his USB drive, leading him to create a simple, reliable file-syncing service. Alongside his fellow student, Arash Ferdowsi, they started Dropbox in 2007. The initial stages were challenging, with slow user adoption. However, Houston's emphasis on solving real user problems through intuitive design and strategic viral growth techniques propelled Dropbox to rapid success.
In his speech, Houston spoke candidly about the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey. He described it as the most exciting, interesting, satisfying, humiliating, frustrating, and painful experience of his life. He urged graduates not to be disheartened by failure, emphasising that they only need to be right once.
Amanda David, president of the Class of 2013, also encouraged her classmates to challenge themselves and remain grounded as they pursue their passions. Brian Spatacco, president of the Graduate Student Council, emphasised the importance of taking risks and fostering constructive irreverence.
MIT President L. Rafael Reif welcomed the graduates and highlighted the school's global alumni network of 127,000 people, including 78 Nobel laureates. He urged graduates to use what they learned at MIT to make the world a better place.
A total of 2,635 graduates received their degrees at the Commencement ceremony. For the entire academic year, MIT granted 1,042 bachelor's degrees, 1,749 master's degrees, and 587 doctoral degrees. An estimated 10,000 family members and guests attended the ceremony.
Houston's inspiring tale of perseverance, learning from failure, and focusing on building a product people love resonated with the graduating class. As they embark on their own journeys, they were reminded that with passion, determination, and a solution to a common pain point, they too can achieve great success.
- Drew Houston, the 2003 MIT graduate and co-founder of Dropbox, shared his undergraduate education journey of creating Dropbox, a $4 billion file-syncing service, with the current students during the Commencement ceremony.
- With technology playing a pivotal role in Dropbox's success, Houston stressed the importance of focusing on building a product that solves real-world problems and enhances user experience.
- As the society continues to evolve and shape, Houston's account of the highs and lows during his entrepreneurial journey reminded students that perseverance, learning from failures, and solving common pain points are crucial for self-development and education.
- In an era where health concerns are at the forefront, Amanda David, MIT Class of 2013 president, encouraged her fellow graduates to challenge themselves and stay grounded in their pursuit of general-news and education-and-self-development topics to make the world a better place.
- Graduates were also advised to take calculated risks and foster constructive irreverence, as urged by Brian Spatacco, president of the Graduate Student Council.
- Amidst the celebrations, MIT's Commencement ceremony awarded degrees to 2,635 students, making them part of the school's extensive global alumni network of industry leaders, scientists, and innovators, totaling 127,000 people, including 78 Nobel laureates.
